Biggest Surprises To This Point

#1
IndianapolisVol

IndianapolisVol

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#1
Not many of us figured that we would be a home win against Libscomb away from heading into our showdown with North Carolina at 7-1 (with our only loss coming in a close game against a top 5 team).

Not many on here were expecting a 3rd place finish in the Battle 4 Atlantis, either.

What about Kyle Alexander's improvement on the boards and this new 10 foot turnaround jumper? Many on here, myself included, didn't think he's see more than 5-8 minutes per game.

This team has overachieved and has earned top 25 consideration. Rather than rely on 2-3 of the same players we've had a revolving door of Bowden, Turner, Bone, Alexander, Darrington and a couple of others supplementing Grant and Admiral's production--which everyone has enjoyed watching.

What has surprised you most about with this squad?
 
#2
#2
Alexander and team chemistry. I was afraid a juco transfer, grad transfer and true freshman wouldn't be able to come in right away and adapt like they have. From Daniel accepting a different role, to Darrington being willing to do what ever to Walker being content to a smaller role than most of thought coming into the season, the team chemistry looks special. They look like they've played together for a couple of years already.
 
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#3
#3
IndianapolisVol said:
Not many of us figured that we would be a home win against Libscomb away from heading into our showdown with North Carolina at 7-1 (with our only loss coming in a close game against a top 5 team).

Not many on here were expecting a 3rd place finish in the Battle 4 Atlantis, either.

What about Kyle Alexander's improvement on the boards and this new 10 foot turnaround jumper? Many on here, myself included, didn't think he's see more than 5-8 minutes per game.

This team has overachieved and has earned top 25 consideration. Rather than rely on 2-3 of the same players we've had a revolving door of Bowden, Turner, Bone, Alexander, Darrington and a couple of others supplementing Grant and Admiral's production--which everyone has enjoyed watching.

What has surprised you most about with this squad?
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Biggest surprise has to be Alexander. He is the most improved player and exactly the post presence that we've been needing.

After Kyle Alexander it has to be Turner. He will most likely be SEC 6th man of the year if he keeps it up. He is one of the main reasons we beat Purdue and Tech. He is shooting 93% from FT (14-15) and 42% from 3. He's the 3 point shooter that this team has desperately needed. If the game is on the line (like vs Purdue) that's who I want shooting the ball.
 
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#4
#4
Other than purdue and nc state, the schedule has been pretty soft. we've grown a lot since last season though. basketball may serve as a saving grace from football.
 
#5
#5
TNinSC said:
Other than purdue and nc state, the schedule has been pretty soft. we've grown a lot since last season though. basketball may serve as a saving grace from football.
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What about Villanova? Top 5 team that we took to the wire? No?

Our schedule to this point has been as tough as anyone's in the country. Do you watch college hoops?
 
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#6
#6
TNinSC said:
Other than purdue and nc state, the schedule has been pretty soft. we've grown a lot since last season though. basketball may serve as a saving grace from football.
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Maybe so. But last years team would have lost the game last night because they would have crumbled under pressure. This years team is much improved and have learned from last year that you have to finish games and not let the pressure get to you.
 
#7
#7
IndianapolisVol said:
What about Villanova? Top 5 team that we took to the wire? No?

Our schedule to this point has been as tough as anyone's in the country. Do you watch college hoops?
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of course i watched it. we had the lead at half and we lost. your post was about surprises this season. i said it seems that we've grown alot in the offseason. We lost to chattanooga on opening night last season. Tech lost to grambling state. high point? presbyterian? it's not the same mercer that beat duke three seasons ago. After the lipschomb game we'll really see if we've grown up. unc and then wake before we open up conference play.
 
#8
#8
BurninOrange said:
Maybe so. But last years team would have lost the game last night because they would have crumbled under pressure. This years team is much improved and have learned from last year that you have to finish games and not let the pressure get to you.
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last year we beat tech by almost 30 points. Yes, alexander fits in well. williams is growing into the baller that we all wanted hubbs would become. i do think we've gotten better. my post wasn't meant to be negative. purdue was def a solid win. the barnes hire was probably hart's best contribution to ut athletics.
 
#9
#9
TNinSC said:
last year we beat tech by almost 30 points. Yes, alexander fits in well. williams is growing into the baller that we all wanted hubbs would become. i do think we've gotten better. my post wasn't meant to be negative. purdue was def a solid win. the barnes hire was probably hart's best contribution to ut athletics.
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I didnt take it aa negative just throwing some more points on it. Its all good. 👍
 
#10
#10
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#11
#11
BurninOrange said:
I didnt take it aa negative just throwing some more points on it. Its all good. 👍
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last season was just brutal. oregon, wisconsin, unc, gonzaga all before conference play began. i just don't want to be fooled into thinking we're ncaa tournament bound by a mediocre w-l record. we'll see.
 
#12
#12
#13
#13
I'm really not surprised by the effort and by the chemistry. I didn't expect two wins in the Battle 4 Atlantis. I was hoping for 1-2 but thought 0-3 was very possible.

It has surprised me that the record is 6-1 with a couple of players not contributing as much as I anticipated. I thought that Admiral would be in play for all SEC consideration. I thought that Darrington would run away with the starting PG spot.

I thought that Johnson would be a star player.

I thought that Daniel would be a ball hog, not the unselfish distributor that he's become.

I thought that Bone would be sliding toward the end if the bench.

Alexander, Williams, Bowden, and Walker are about where I expected they'd be. I wasn't sure about Fulk considering how long he'd been out. Turner's highs and lows are more than I expected. I thought that Turner would be a consistent 5 or 10 PPG and an instant spark off of the bench.

I thought that Kent would be brought along quicker. Pons is about where I thought he'd be.
 
#16
#16
TNinSC said:
overall yes. not who we've played so far. other than villanova and purdue and i think coming out victorious in one of those games is good. moral victories don't get you into the tournament though. this drought needs to end...
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Purdue wasn’t a moral victory, wtf are you talking about? SOS absolutely gets you into the tourney, guessing you’re new to CBB?
 
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#17
#17
bleedingTNorange said:
Purdue wasn’t a moral victory, wtf are you talking about? SOS absolutely gets you into the tourney, guessing you’re new to CBB?
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youre right. we beat purdue. we lost to villanova. who we led at half. thats the moral victory i was alluding to.
 
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#18
#18
Surprises for me...

-perimeter shooting...as a team we are shooting 43% from deep, that ranks 15th in the country, bought we’d be improved but didn’t see that coming.

-we had heard we’d be improved defensively but how much was unclear...we rank 29th in bpg and 51st in ppg, if the fouling can get corrected we are one of the better defensive teams in the country.

-individually...Alexander has surprised me, he’s really bringing a different level of play and looking like the guy we were all hoping to see. Bowden is among the best shooters in the country statistically, honestly I think it’s to the point Barnes is gonna have to start scripting some sets to get him more looks. Turner has also really impressed me with his transition to playing the 2 guard primarily.
 
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#20
#20
TNinSC said:
overall yes. not who we've played so far. other than villanova and purdue and i think coming out victorious in one of those games is good. moral victories don't get you into the tournament though. this drought needs to end...
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I think you're underestimating the NC State win. That NC State team beat Arizona, who at the time was ranked #2.

No moral victories don't get you in, but having your SoS and RPI (13th) in the top 25 does, and we currently do.

RealTimeRPI.com Tennessee Volunteers Men's College Basketball Rating Percentage Index (RPI) Ratings - A leading sports ratings and resources community on the Internet
 
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#21
#21
bleedingTNorange said:
Nobody is counting it as a moral victory, but win or lose it still counts towards your SOS.
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im aware about sos. my original response was that we looked good SO FAR. Other than Villanova and Purdue, we havent really had a difficult schedule. Winning one of those two was also solid. I think we look like we've grown up alot in the off season. But i'm just hesitant to say we're a VERY good team bc of the schedule THUS FAR. Nothing about our overall SOS. Just evaluating our team with the seven games we've played SO FAR.
 
#22
#22
Stoked said:
I think you're underestimating the NC State win. That NC State team beat Arizona, who at the time was ranked #2.

No moral victories don't get you in, but having your SoS and RPI (13th) in the top 25 does, and we currently do.
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again, i didn't mean anything about the overall schedule. i'm not even doubting our team! i'm not bashing the team. I'm not saying we're overrated. just want to see more. that doesn't make me delusional. doesn't even make me a cranky old man lol.

yes, ill even admit when im wrong. i forgot that nc state beat arizona. that is def a quality win.
 
#23
#23
TNinSC said:
im aware about sos. my original response was that we looked good SO FAR. Other than Villanova and Purdue, we havent really had a difficult schedule. Winning one of those two was also solid. I think we look like we've grown up alot in the off season. But i'm just hesitant to say we're a VERY good team bc of the schedule THUS FAR. Nothing about our overall SOS. Just evaluating our team with the seven games we've played SO FAR.
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We beat a Nc State team on a neutral court that had just beaten Arizona...they are 7-2 and ranked #77 in KP.

We beat a Mercer team by 24 who lost to Colorado, UCF and Memphis by a combined 20 points...they’re ranked #95 in KP.

And then we go on the road and beat a GT team by 7 who lost to #44 ranked UCLA by 3, and hasn’t lost any other game by more than 3, so we gave them their worst L so far.

So we’ve played 7 games, 2 of which are against Top 10 ranked KenPom teams and you’re saying we haven’t played enough good teams to tell...we only have 3 more games the rest of the season against Top 10 KenPom teams do that doesn’t seem like a valid take to me. Out of 12 non conference games we are likely to have 9 against Top 100 teams, 2 of which were Top 10, that’s going to be pretty similar to what we see in league play.
 
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#24
#24
TNinSC said:
again, i didn't mean anything about the overall schedule. i'm not even doubting our team! i'm not bashing the team. I'm not saying we're overrated. just want to see more. that doesn't make me delusional. doesn't even make me a cranky old man lol.

yes, ill even admit when im wrong. i forgot that nc state beat arizona. that is def a quality win.
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But that’s what my post above is stating...what do you mean see more? In 7 games we’ve played 2 Top 10 teams, in our next 23 games we will likely play 3 Top 10 teams, so it’s not as if the “hard part” of the schedule is coming up.

I guess what I’m saying isn that if our first 7 games didn’t tell you much I’m just not sure our next 7 will tell you much either.
 
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#25
#25
I've always contended that the sign of good defense, and a key to winning games, is to hold your opponent to less than 40% shooting. We've held each opponent we've played to less than 40% except Nova, our only loss.

So our defense has really surprised me given our general lack of familiarity within the team. A grad transfer, a JUCO, two freshmen, a redshirt freshman, all added to the existing roster who hasn't played together a whole lot due to general youth and inexperience. Team chemistry is so important, and this team has it in spades it would seem, despite their lack of familiarity with each other.

Leadership is also apparent, and guys are very accepting of their roles. They seem to have a us versus the world mentality among themselves, and no one is demanding to "get theirs" so to speak. Very unselfish team that works hard, plays harder, and doesn't seemingly care who gets the credit.

So, defense, chemistry, and leadership...for a young team, those are all pleasant surprises.

Individually, Alexander and Bone have really put together nice seasons so far. Both are way up on numbers from a percent increase so far. Bone's shooting numbers are vastly improved, and Alexander has really improved his offense and his rebounding.
 
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